Buoyant boat construction



BUOYANT BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1951 IN YEA/TOR. /Amm A! lVsLsi/u Patented Dec. 22, 1931 PATENT OFFICE I ALFRED N. NELSEN, OF LQN'G BEACH, CALIFORNI EA BUOYANT BOAT consrnucmron Application filed August 15 1931. Serial No. 557,207.

This invention relates to a buoyant boat construction of the type to be used at beaches, in rivers, lakes and the like, or by bathers while they are frolicking in the water.

An object of my invention is to provide a boat which is extremely buoyant and will float in any posit-ion. That is, either on the keel or on the deck.

Another object is to provide a buoyant boat construction in which the cockpit is entirely covered so that water cannot enter the hull of the boat.

A further object is to provide a buoyant boat construction which is braced by longitudinal beams to provide a very rigid construction so that the boat can withstand the shock of breakers or waves.

Still another object is to provide a buoyant boat which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is safe for children and inexperienced adults.

()ther objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my boat.

Figure 2 is a transverse, sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of my boat with the canvas covering removed. Figure 4: is a top plan view of my boat with the covering removed. Figure 5 is a sectional, View taken on line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings,the numerallindicates a keel board, and at the front and rear of this board thereare secured the prow and stern members 23'.

These members are preferably curved substantially as shown so as to give the boat somewhat the semblance of a canoe. Side strips i5 are secured at either end thereof to the members 23 and are suitably curved so as to form the outline of the boat. v i

V a cockpit centrally located therein, covering These strips are positioned approximately half way between the top and the bottom of the boat so as to give a hexagonal shape to the cross section of the boat.

Bulkheads 6-7 are provided ateither end of the cockpit 8 and these bulkheads extend transversely of the boat. 'Deck -plates 9'10 extend from the bulkheads 6+7 respectively, to the prow and the stern of the boat. Wooden stiffening beams 1112 extend longitudinally of the boatzandare attached at the front and rear to the strips 4 or 5. The bulkheads 6( are notched out to receive the beams, and becaus'eof the beams attachment 0 to the members L-5, a very rigid construction is provided for the hull. The keel board 1 is strengthened by three transverse cleats, 13, 14: and 15 which are attached to the bulkheads 7 and 6. -The-central cleat is'at--:65 tached to the beams1112.

An inclined board 16 is positioned centrally in the cockp'it .8 and the occupant of the boat sits" onthe high end of this board and his feet are at the low endof the board and 7 against the bulkhead 6. A canvas cover 17 completelycovers the boat, and also extends over the cockpit 8. That is,'in the cockpit, the canvas is hung loosely so as to form a cradle-like arrangement, and at the low end of the'board 16 the canvas is looped downwardly as shown at 18 so that the passenger rides withhis feet extending downwardly, and he also secures a purchase against the bulkhead while rowing. V

It will be observed from the foregoing construction thatwater cannot enter the hull of the boat, and the small quantity which might settle in thecockpit 8 would not be sufiicient" to disturb the buoyancy thereof. Also the hexagonal constructionof theboat gives a large area under and around the occupant so that'the boat will not readily tip to either side and upset. A drain hole l9 is provided in the keel and thru the board 16 for the purpose of draining any water that might filter thru thecanvas. covering. This hole is normally closed by a suitable plug. Havingdescribed my invention, It clailnzos 1. In a buoyant boat construction having means over the entireoboat, and a canvascover loosely swung over the cockpit, sald canvas coveringbeinghigher atone end than at the 1 other whereby the feet of the occupant eX- tend downwardly when sitting in the boat.

2. In a buoyant boat construction having a cockpit centrally located therein, covering means over the entire boat, and a canvas cover loosely swung over the cockpit, said canvas covering being higher at one end than at the other whereby'the feet of the occupant extend downwardly when sitting in the boat, a longitudinally extending inclined board in the cockpit, the inclination of said-board conforming to the inclination ofthe canvas covering.

3. A buoyant boat construction comprising a keel, a pair of side rails, a pair of transverse bulkheads, said bulkheads defining-the cockpit of the boat, and a pair of longitudinally extendingbeams positioned one on either side of the boat, said beams being attached at the ends thereof to-the side rails,andia canvas cover completely covering the boat.

It A buoyant boat construction comprising a keel, a pair of side rails, a pair: of transverse bulkheads, said bulkheads defining the cockpit of the boat, and-a pair oflongitudinally extending beams positioned one on either side of the-boat, said beams being attached atthe ends thereof to the -side,rails,-and a canvas cover completely covering the boat, said canvas cover'being loosely looped over'the cockpit and being high at the stern and low at the prow end. ofthe cockpit.

5. A buoyant boat construction comprising a keel, a pair of side rails, a pair of transverse bulkheads, said bulkheads defining the cockpit of the boat, and a pair of longitudinally extending beams positioned one on either side of the boat, saidbeams being attached at-the ends thereof to the side-rails,.and a canvas cover completely coveringthe-boat, said can- Vv-ascover being looselylooped over the cockpit and being high at the stern andlow at the prow end of the cockpit, an inclined board in the cockpit under the canvas, said board conforming to the inclination of the canvas in the cockpit.

6. A buoyant boat construction comprising a keel board, a pair of transverse bulkheads spaced "from either end of the boat, deck boards extending from the bulkheads to the ends of the boat, curved side strips extending longitudinally of the boat thereby providing a substantially hexagonal cross section for the boat, and a canvas covering completely enclosing the boat, said canvas covering being swung loosely over the cockpit, the canvas covering in the cockpit being inclined so that the feet of the occupant extend downwardly.

7. A buoyant boat construction comprising a keel board, a pair of transverse bulkheads spaced from either end of the boat, deck boards extendingfromthebulkheads to the ends of the boat, curved side strips extending longitudinally ofthe boat therebyproviding a substantially hexagonal crosssection for 

